Over the years a number of neurotransmitters have been described as the neurotransmitter of pleasure. The list includes serotonin, dopamine, endocannabinoids, and endogenous opiates such as endorphin. In Chapter 2 of Neuroscience for psychologists and other mental health professionals, I … Continue reading →

by noreply@blogger.com (MamaChanty) @ MamaEatsClean

Fri Mar 20 12:53:00 PDT 2015

Hello Everyone,Sorry I have sort of disappeared for a while. We have just been very active with hockey, dance, swim..........And I have been on a bit of a spring cleaning binge. So I rarely get to the computer and I haven't been doing much experimenting in the kitchen with recipes.

Instead I have been experimenting in the gym. I'm on a bit of a roll with my work-outs. I'm up to about 5 work-outs a week, and sometimes I actually have to force myself to take a rest day because I know I need them but I don't really wanna.

I'm not saying this to brag. Exercising is just a habit. When you're out of the habit - its brutal and it sucks. When you're in the habit - its pretty easy. I'm in the habit today. Friday March 20th, 2015. Life could throw me a curve ball any day and that might no longer be possible so I'm just enjoying it.

I feel really fit and energetic. I feel good. I'm a slave to my grain and dairy-free diet, sleep rules, hormones and supplements but generally I feel really good so its worth it.

But. There's always a butt (a slightly jiggly one as the case may be).

Even with working out 5 days a week and eating my grain-free, dairy-free, low sugar diet I started gaining some weight. Not lots of weight. Just five pounds in all the wrong places so my clothes were starting to feel tight and things were starting to look mighty jiggly.

I'm not looking for sympathy. This may annoy the hell out of people who need/want to lose a lot of weight but I'm just telling my story so chill. And keep in mind that I had already gained 15 pounds (in about 6 months) post breast-feeding so I'm not trying to be super skinny - just the right weight for me. The weight where I feel best without depriving myself.

I wasn't freaking out or anything. I have a pretty comfortable relationship with my body. Its not perfect but I'm pretty impressed with all the crazy shit it can still do. Make babies. Do headstands. Dance like its nobodies business.

But I did decide it was time to look at what I was doing and how it was possible that I was gaining weight (and no, it wasn't all muscle) when I'm the picture of a clean-eating fitness princess from the outside looking in.

Well, I have a few secrets.

1) My "low-sugar" diet isn't always that low sugar. I have a sweet tooth that won't quit. I don't eat "unrefined white sugar", but let me tell you, there are lots of ways to let sugar sneak its way back into your life disguised as clean-eating. Paleo pancakes with syrup anyone. Grapes (did you know they are addicting). Dark Chocolate (my nemesis - sorry for saying that - I really do love you chocolate);2) I have a huge appetite. Huge. Always. Hungry. Plus I love food. My husband is almost twice my size and most days I eat more than him. Enough said. I eat a lot of calories in a day. Everyday. Lots. You would probably be shocked, maybe disgusted, if you spent an entire day with me;3) I hate cardio. Hate it. Actually not a secret. I was bragging about my new-found love of yoga and hatred for running a while back. Well, I was getting to the point where I was almost exclusively doing yoga and no cardio or weight training;4) When you give up grains its hard to find snacks. So I was eating a shit-load of nuts. Fatty. delicious. High calorie nuts.

Well, after lots of reading and a hard look at my diet and exercise plan I realized that obviously doing yoga 5 days a week was making me super stretchy and I was learning lots of neat tricks...........but my line-backer diet and lack of cardio and weights was not giving me the body I wanted. Yeah, I looked fine. But I didn't want to replace my entire wardrobe for 5 pounds. And I like to train with a goal.

So after all my reading (really love the Eat to Perform Facebook page and articles) what did I conclude:

1) Although its okay to eat lots of calories (its actually really bad to under-eat if you are active) - my diet was a little too heavy on calories from sugar and fat and not enough from protein.............and I CAN'T BELIEVE I'm saying this but not enough carbohydrates. I wasn't feeding my workouts with carbs for energy or protein so that I could actually maintain/build muscle;2) I didn't/don't need to lose weight. I just want to lose some fat and gain some muscle;3) Muscle burns lots of calories (and looks damn hot) so if I'm going to eat like a 250 pound football player I'd sure as hell better build some muscle to torch some of those calories;4) You will only build muscle by lifting heavy things while feeding your body the right macro-nutrients and calories; and5) Its okay to hate cardio. Its not a necessity.

Enter the "8-week challenge". I'm on week three. And I feel great. Here is what I decided to do for eight weeks:

1) Don't worry about restricting calories but get lots of protein at the right times. I don't track my food (tried for a day - too much bloody work) but just try to a) get some carbs before a work-out for energy and enough protein after a work-out for muscle recovery, and b) get enough protein throughout the day (I have a rough idea of what it should be but I don't track it or over-think it - I just make sure I have protein with each meal and snack);2) Cut out sugar (pretty much, almost). Now I can say I'm on a low sugar diet. Not no-sugar. Just low-sugar. Wow. Do I ever feel better. Energy levels are WAY more stable. Moods are better. but for the record, the CRAVINGS DO NOT GO AWAY. Yes - they are less intense. But they are still there;3) Take it easy on the nuts. Eat them, just don't go nuts on them. LOL.4) Lift HEAVY weights twice a week;5) Do high intensity intervals (with or without weights) at least once per week.

So this is what I'm experimenting with. I'm in week three and my clothes feel loser around the waist. Yay - I hated that feeling of flab spilling over the top of my jeans. I'm never hungry, well, I'm always hungry but I'm never hungrier than usual. I'm already starting to feel stronger - I'm lifting heavier weights all the time- its actually pretty fun.

And this morning my girls were looking at my scrawny arms and said "Mommy you don't have much muscle". Point taken - I have long spindly arms. So naturally, I pulled off my shirt and flexed my back for them. Their eyes went big and one of them said "You look like a man". LOL. I think its working.

So that's my update. I'll let you know how my experiment goes...............is this the end of my love affair with yoga? Can you eat a shit-load of food and still lose fat if you focus on gaining muscle? Can you really forgo steady state cardio and look your best?

In the September 2015 issue of JAMA Psychiatry, a team of Swedish researchers (see Frick et al.) published a study evaluating the serotonin system in persons with social anxiety. They used Positron Emission Tomography an imaging technique wherein radio-active molecules … Continue reading →

by Canadian Organic Growers @ Organic Week

Tue Sep 13 07:36:38 PDT 2016

As Canada gets set to celebrate national Organic Week September 17 to 25, researchers and producers in Manitoba are planning their own celebration. 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of organic crop research at the University of Manitoba’s Glenlea Research Station. Lead researcher Dr. Martin Entz, professor in the department of plant science, has seen a […]

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Mon Nov 20 13:04:52 PST 2017

Winnipeg documentary filmmaker Katharina Stieffenhofer came home from a farmers’ conference two years ago so inspired by what she’d heard and seen she wanted to tell others. She’d listened to talks by Martin Entz, plant scientist at the University of Manitoba, at the 2016 Prairie Organic Think Whole Farm conference. It wasn’t the first time […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Fri Feb 09 12:41:24 PST 2018

Manitoba cattle prices stayed under pressure during the week ended Feb. 2, but there are signs that may start to change. “Hopefully (prices are) near a near-term bottom and should pick up heading into the spring,” said Brian Perillat, senior analyst with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Prices at the province’s eight major auction marts were […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Fri Feb 09 13:05:35 PST 2018

Recently, I was on six flights during the course of five days, with about 250 people per flight. Every flight had several people who were sneezing or coughing. So, I was exposed to at least 1,500 people all nestled in a pressurized tube, breathing the same recycled air. Now I wait to see if my […] Read more

Organic agriculture has benefits but it is not a silver bullet for global food security, a new study says. Too much scientific uncertainty exists for organic agriculture to be considered a better alternative to conventional farming, says the study by two University of British Columbia researchers. “(O)rganic agriculture cannot be the Holy Grail for our […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Mon Feb 12 12:18:15 PST 2018

The 21 recommendations toward developing this country’s first national food policy delivered to Parliament recently establish one thing fairly succinctly. It’s complicated. However, from the first recommendation (making adequate nutrition as a basic human right) to the last (calling for a national food policy advisory body with a wildly diverse range of stakeholders), the committee’s […] Read more

Applications of antimicrobials in food production and human health have found favor throughout human history. Antibiotic applications in agricultural and human medical arenas have resulted in tremendous increases in food animal production and historically unprecedented gains in human health protection. Successes attributed to widespread antibiotic use have been accompanied by the inadvertent emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A major problem associated with this emerging resistance is the crossover use of some antibiotics in agricultural settings as well as in the prevention and treatment of human disease. This outcome led to calls to restrict the use of human health-related antibiotics in food animal production. Calls for restricted antibiotic use have heightened existing searches for alternatives to antibiotics that give similar or enhanced production qualities as highly reliable as the antibiotics currently provided to food animals. Agricultural and scientific advances, mainly within the last 100 yr, have given us insights into sources, structures, and actions of materials that have found widespread application in our modern world. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a historic perspective on the search for what are generally known as antibiotics and alternative antimicrobials, probiotics, prebiotics, bacteriophages, bacteriocins, and phytotherapeutics.

by greg @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Mon Feb 12 10:52:09 PST 2018

Started as a company in 2017, ROGA Drone is one of the new players in the UAV market, and Don Campbell believes there’s an untapped market in Western Canada for UAVs to spray insecticide. His flight plan? The Kray drone. The Kray drone is a fixed wing UAV using eight rotors to keep it airborne, […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Tue Oct 17 12:22:51 PDT 2017

Hairy vetch may be the key to reducing tillage in organic farming, at least in the short term. Martin Entz, a professor and agriculture systems expert from the University of Manitoba has been looking at mulches for organic weed suppression, rather than the tillage typically used. “We found that when we used the right mulch, […] Read more

Campylobacteriosis is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Campylobacter species involved in this infection usually include the thermotolerant species Campylobacter jejuni. The major reservoir for C. jejuni leading to human infections ...

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Wed Sep 27 12:07:44 PDT 2017

Ringbone is one of the most common forms of arthritis diagnosed in the horse and is a “catch-all” term used to describe an osteoarthritis that afflicts the coffin joint (low ringbone) or the pastern joint (high ringbone). Degeneration of the joint interferes with function, mobility and flexibility of the lower limb and ultimately leads to […] Read more

by jilllittrell @ Littrell's Neuroscience of Well-Being and Mental Illness

Wed Dec 23 07:34:58 PST 2015

Over the years a number of neurotransmitters have been described as the neurotransmitter of pleasure. The list includes serotonin, dopamine, endocannabinoids, and endogenous opiates such as endorphin. In Chapter 2 of Neuroscience for psychologists and other mental health professionals, I … Continue reading →

History of Opiates in the US. I wrote my last post on buprenorphine and methadone with some ambivalence. I’m not against methadone maintenance clinics. Generally, limiting access to any drug has proven to be a bad idea. We all remember … Continue reading →

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Thu Sep 21 08:17:25 PDT 2017

CP Rail is pulling the plug on producer car loading sites throughout the Prairies, including two in Manitoba at Foxwarren and Strathclair. That move has the Keystone Agricultural Producers considering joining a call for a moratorium on closing sidings used to load producer cars that was first proposed by the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Wed Nov 08 09:49:09 PST 2017

Organic farmers in Manitoba hope a new working group will help solve long-standing crop insurance issues. The body will have members from both the Manitoba Organic Alliance (MOA) and Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC). “There’s definite improvements that need to be made, so we want to know what the timeline on that is,” MOA president […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Wed Oct 25 12:03:21 PDT 2017

The existence of tapeworms in horses has rarely been a topic of much concern as the significance of infestation to the health of the horse has for the most part been uncertain. Not only is it difficult to reproduce the complicated life cycle of the tapeworm under study conditions it is also unreliable to gather […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Fri Dec 08 12:28:17 PST 2017

You won’t be buying Kernza bread in a Manitoba bakery or grocery store any time soon, but a small group of proponents see it as a sign of things to come. Guests at a small reception at the Tall Grass Prairie Bakery in downtown Winnipeg Nov. 23 were treated to loaves of freshly baked sourdough […] Read more

by CHFA @ Organic Week

Mon Sep 12 07:58:02 PDT 2016

September is a season for change. The kids are back in school, adults are back from vacation and mornings seem to be a little more hectic. But you don’t want to skip out on the most important meal of the day. So try a twist on breakfast by going organic – it’s easier than you […]

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Fri Dec 15 07:45:51 PST 2017

The $118-billion retail food sector in Canada is becoming increasingly fragmented but it still shares one thing in common: a commitment to trust and transparency, a retail food expert told delegates at the recent GrowCanada conference. That has repercussions that trace through the value chain all the way to the farm, John F.T. Scott said. […] Read more

by Laura Telford @ Organic Week

Wed Sep 21 08:30:01 PDT 2016

Manitoba’s organic sector has a lot to celebrate during Organic Week 2016 (September 17-25). The Canadian organic market is vibrant, with double digit annual sales growth and many new entrants from mainstream farming. The scientific community is also beginning to pay attention to organic agriculture. There is now a federal funding program dedicated to organic research and a national organic […]

Full-text (PDF) | The aim of the present study was to describe the identification and characterization (physiological properties) of two strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB 18 and 48) present in a commercial probiotic culture, FloraMax(®)-B11. Isolates were characterized morphologically, and iden...

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Fri Feb 09 12:56:03 PST 2018

Farmers better study up on the hurdles of a soybean-canola rotation before trying it in the field, Manitoba Agriculture specialists say. Soybeans have been a growing story in Manitoba, rising over the last decade to become one of the province’s main crops with almost 2.3 million acres planted in 2017. Combined with canola, another high-value […] Read more

If you read my last post I shared a bit of my "issues" in there. The ones I felt like sharing. Most people see the mask that I firmly put in place. Even I sometimes can't believe the amount of turbulence that is going on behind it. But its there.

I recently made the realization that although I tout the "mind-body-spirit" approach to health I had really only been dealing with the "body" part of the equation. I can control what I eat and how much I exercise. Easy-peasy for a control freak like me with a will of steel so that's where I invest all my time and energy. Except its not working. I'm still a mess. I'm out of balance.

But I'm not one to give up, give in, quit. So I have been reading, soul searching, and opening my mind to new ideas. I'm finally ready, or desperate enough, to tackle the mind-spirit aspect of my health. Of my life. My spirit adventures will be coming in a post soon.

Nevertheless, I'm also not giving up on the "body" part of the equation. They all need to work together. So after debating with myself (literally for years) about whether to go for a LIVE BLOOD ANALYSIS I finally did it. I felt like I was cheating on my naturopath (so sorry but I just feel like I've been through her bags of tricks) but I did it.

I went to THE HERBAL MARKET (http://www.herbalmarket.com) on St. Anne's Road in Winnipeg. The appointment was almost 3 hours long ($150 with a coupon). I saw a nurse, a micro-biologist and the Doctor of Natural Medicine.

I was provided with an overwhelming amount of information and I'm not going to lie, I didn't really comprehend everything they told me. I'm pretty well-versed in a lot of this stuff but I couldn't quite keep up. So I'm making notes on some of the things they told me: 1) so I remember since I'm sure I will want to come back to this time and again and there is no way I will remember all of this, and 2) to give you an idea of some of the things they might be able to tell you if you think its something you might want to try.

Here goes - the highlights from my live blood analysis and consultation;

1) Low blood sugar - they did a blood sugar reading and I was on the low end of "normal". Per the nurse this should have been higher given the fact that I had just eaten a strawberry smoothie on the way there. Apparently that might explain, or at least partly explain, why I'm ravenously hungry most of the time and can't go more than a couple hours without eating;

2) Low blood pressure - 90 over 60 - My blood pressure has been low for a while so this was no surprise. Apparently this is okay as long as I don't feel like passing out - I don't usually so that's a good thing but I think there is something more to this;

3) Faint Pulse - this is not the first time a nurse looked at me funny and said "I know you are alive because you are talking to me, but I can't find your pulse". But apparently it was a first for her. She eventually found it, and it was normal. On the very low end of normal in terms of beats per minute just really faint. By my "vitality" is not what it should be so this makes sense;

4) Candida - the good news. My "primary" candida - the newbies were actually low and fairly normal. Yay! Makes sense since I have been significantly restricting sugar (including fruits) and eating mostly low fod-map foods since the beginning of August. Plus I was taking some herbal anti-fungals. I'm fairly certain these would have been raging if I had been tested at the end of July so this is great news;

5) Candida - the very bad news. My "secondary" candida (symblasts), the little beasts that have been around for a while and have made a nice impenetrable protective shell around themselves are moderately bad. That means my Candida has been around for a long time and its making it rounds through my body. These guys are not going to give up their territory easily. Its actually kind of scary as these guys are destructive but at least I know what I'm dealing with;

6) Low Immune system functioning - no surprise there. Two strep infections in June. Also, my "regular" doctor had referred me to a hematologist (who didn't want to see me btw and cancelled the appointment) due to my low white blood count so I know my immune system is struggling along. I don't know why, could be the Candida;

7) I'm Blood Type O and a Thyroid Body Type - This part was interesting. There are some people that swear by the blood and/or body type significantly impacting everything from how you metabolize food to your personality, emotions and ability to lose weight. I actually have looked into this before so my interest is definitely peaked and can't wait to learn more. What I did gather from what we discussed and I have subsequently read is that Type O blood should stay away from dairy and they have more difficulty than any other blood type with digesting grains. VALIDATION;

8) Protein metabolism - I also learned (as per #7) that my blood/body type does best on a high protein (from animal sources), low carbohydrate diet during meals and snacks. I got the green light to never become a vegetarian. Mixed feelings on this as the environmentalist in me really would love to give up meat but when you can't eat grains that is really impossible. Anyway, I felt quite gratified that I had intuitively already figured this out. I'm still a mess but I have figured some stuff out on my own. So if I'm eating the right foods why am I still having issues.......see next.........

9) Low Stomach Acid - Somehow she could tell from my blood results (something about undigested proteins) that my stomach acid is low. As such, I am not fully digesting foods. Which means my small intestine and colon have to work harder than they should. Which means over time they have been weakened (and sluggish). Yep. Yep. Yep. I have done stomach acid tests in the past and have failed miserably (i.e. I have very little) so this was not new but interesting that they came to the same conclusion by looking at it an entirely different way.

10) Liver and gallbladder congested/toxic/acidic - This part I absolutely did not fully comprehend. But I'm not surprised. I can't even pretend I understand what this meant? Next appointment I'll ask more questions. She wasn't even going to try dealing with this issue yet anyway.

11) Blocked Heart Chakra - This is where things got even more interesting, I was practically giddy at this point since, as I mentioned, I've recently become fascinated with the "spirit" part of the mind-body-spirit equation. I've been suspecting for some time that all my "shoulder and neck" problems are not really (at least not 100%) caused a physical problem but by some kind of emotional/energy block. I'm not one to dwell on the past so I just kept sweeping my suspicion under the rug. Its not a conscious thing, but sub-consciously something is obviously going on, something from the past that I need to deal with???

12) Red Blood Cells - my cells were all stuck together. Again, can't remember the explanation for this but they did ask "are your hands always cold". YES INDEED. It has been so bad lately that I really have trouble swimming with my kids even in indoor heated pools. I feel like such a wuss at times (and hate missing out on this fun activity) but I'm REALLY cold. Apparently my blood can't circulate properly. 13) Adrenals firing at 95% - Whoop. For someone that had SEVERE adrenal fatigue this is crazy good news. And interesting since I had just recently stopped taking my adrenal supplements. After being on them for most of the past 4 years and frankly being paranoid about missing one, I suddenly felt that I didn't need them anymore at the end of August.

Those are the biggies. There was all sorts of other stuff they mentioned - possible parasites, awesome cholesterol numbers, diet ideas for my body type, etc. We talked a lot about my lifestyle, my feelings, my faith - I laughed, I cried (a lot). Like I said, kind of overwhelming. A lot happened in three hours.

So what's next. What did I leave with.

Well, I left with a bunch of herbs of course. Some chinese herbs for my heart Chakra and anxiety issues, some protein enzymes and probiotics to help my digestion issues, some cat's claw for my immune system and Candida.

And a referral to an Energy healer. I'M TOO EXCITED for this.

And I'm going back in a month to figure out what happens next.

You may think this is all quackery. You may think this is all in my head. You may think I'm crazy for believing in this stuff. And that's okay. Your thoughts are not my problem. Sorry, but I've got enough of my own.

Normally, being the control freak that I am, I would want to understand every single thing they told me. Question, research, evaluate, decide if this is the right path for me.

But not this time. This time I'm just going for it. I don't understand it but I'm going to do what they say.

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Mon Feb 12 12:59:41 PST 2018

Saskatchewan-based AGT Food and Ingredients was riding a high in 2016. In May its stock hit highs of more than $40 per share. Almost a year and a half later, the story had changed and AGT stock hit lows of almost $18 per share — a level not seen since mid-2014. Marching in near lockstep […] Read more

Lactobacilli, as the largest group of lactic acid bacteria, produce large amounts of antimicrobial metabolites such as organic acids, fatty acids, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, diacetyl and bacteriocin, which inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and increase shelf life of food. The aim of this study was to identify the Lactobacillus spp. isolated from Iranian raw milk Motal cheese and to detect the presence of bacteriocin genes in the isolated Lactobacillus strains exhibiting antimicrobial activity. For this purpose, 6 Motal cheese samples from Dasht-e-Moghan region, Iran, were subjected to microbial characterization. Nineteen Lactobacillus spp. were isolated and subsequently identified based on biochemical and molecular methods. According to the sequencing of isolates, Lactobacillus spp. consisted primarily of Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus buchneri. The identified isolates were then evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Listeria innocua ATCC 33090 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The results of PCR analysis using specific primers of genes encoding Bacteriocin, revealed the presence of Plantaricin A and Plantaricin EF in all Lactobacillus plantarum isolates and Brevicin 174A in 5 of Lactobacillus brevis isolates, whereas the gene encoding Pediocin PA-1 was not observed in any of examined isolates. It is therefore concluded that bacteriocinogenic isolates could be recommended as suitable candidates to be used as starter, adjunct-starter or antimicrobial agents for production of fermented and non-fermented products.

by jilllittrell @ Littrell's Neuroscience of Well-Being and Mental Illness

Sun Jan 03 11:29:12 PST 2016

In the September 2015 issue of JAMA Psychiatry, a team of Swedish researchers (see Frick et al.) published a study evaluating the serotonin system in persons with social anxiety. They used Positron Emission Tomography an imaging technique wherein radio-active molecules … Continue reading →

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Mon Feb 12 12:35:54 PST 2018

Farm Credit Canada says a new trade deal with Asia is good news for the nation’s farmers. FCC says the new Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will mean better market access and that’s always good news for agriculture. “We can open up markets more to what we have, especially when we have big competitors […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Wed Dec 20 12:32:55 PST 2017

It is easy to overlook the contribution the sole makes to the soundness of the horse, because for the most part the sole is hidden from view. However, the sole is no idle passenger. It has remarkable, even herculean properties that allow it to act as the interface between the horse’s bony column and the […] Read more

by jilllittrell @ Littrell's Neuroscience of Well-Being and Mental Illness

Tue Jul 14 05:46:26 PDT 2015

History of Opiates in the US. I wrote my last post on buprenorphine and methadone with some ambivalence. I’m not against methadone maintenance clinics. Generally, limiting access to any drug has proven to be a bad idea. We all remember … Continue reading →

by undefined @ Canadian CattlemenCanadian Cattlemen

Mon Apr 03 13:05:49 PDT 2017

A number of times over the years I have been asked the question “do cattle feel pain the same way we do?” To answer the question, it’s important to understand a little bit about pain physiology. When a pain stimulus is administered to an animal (for example, you pinch the claw on the hind leg […] Read more

by jilllittrell @ Littrell's Neuroscience of Well-Being and Mental Illness

Fri Aug 21 10:14:30 PDT 2015

The lofty goal of evidence-based medicine: Evidence-based medicine became the mantra following the introduction of the term by David M. Eddy during the 1990s in publications in New England Journal of Medicine and Health Affairs. The idea is that research … Continue reading →

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Mon Feb 12 12:04:04 PST 2018

Fish or flax? That’s the question researchers from the University of Guelph have been trying to answer when looking at the cancer-prevention qualities of various sources of omega-3 fatty acids. David Ma, a professor in the university’s department of human health and nutritional sciences, says so far fish is coming out on top. His work […] Read more

by PROPA @ Organic Week

Tue Sep 20 07:20:16 PDT 2016

Why celebrate organics? “Well to put it simply organics is life that’s kind of the whole thing behind it; to promote bio diversity and increase the number of living species on your farm,” explains Jerry Kit, President of Peace River Organic Producers Association. So to celebrate national Organic Week which runs from September 17-25 PROPA […]

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Fri Feb 09 13:12:50 PST 2018

Manitoba stood out in 2016 census data for having the largest proportion of those younger farm operators, as well as the youngest population of farm operators in Canada outside Quebec. But these young agriculturalists now farm a landscape more thinly populated than one their grandparents and even parents experienced. During the 1980s and 1990s, when […] Read more

by undefined @ Manitoba Co-operatorManitoba Co-operator

Mon Feb 12 13:07:05 PST 2018

Since 1995, the Manitoba Simmental Association (MSA) has presented the A.O. Henuset Memorial Distinguished Service Award, to persons who have helped establish the Simmental industry in Manitoba. As the 2017 winners, the Carson family of Northern Light Simmentals, located approximately 15 km southwest of Rossburn, exemplify dedication to the Simmental breed through the cattle program […] Read more

by noreply@blogger.com (MamaChanty) @ MamaEatsClean

I've noticed a trend. I very infrequently blog anymore. But when I do, I seem to wait until the storm has passed and then summarize/comment/report on how much I'm feeling better. How I did it.

Not because I'm trying to brag or show how great of a problem solver I am. Simply because I usually have more energy at that point and when I'm in the storm I'm using all my reserves for full battle.

That's probably why my blog posts have become even more infrequent in 2015. There has been a lot of stormy weather.

So this time, I'm going to give you the honest goods. The honest not so pretty - the storm has not passed goods.

I have a severe systematic invasion of Candida overgrowth in my body. I'm pretty sure I've had a Candida issue my whole life. Its been barely controlled a few times when I got serious about cutting down on eating sugar which never seemed to last that long.

Cravings for sugar caused by Candida are brutal. I don't just "like sweets" - I literally feel like every cell in my body is screaming for them at times. Something I thought was just a personality trait of sorts - a lack of will at the least. Something I am/was embarrassed of. I often make a joke of it but its actually shameful to be hiding in the pantry eating chocolate chips hoping no one will notice (for the record kids can sniff out this behavior and will call you out on it each and every time - and they smell it on your breathe if they don't catch you red-handed). It consumes my thoughts.

I'm not going to go into the long list of symptoms I have had over the year. Its a long boring story and I'm tired of re-playing it in my mind. If you see me, you will likely question whether it is "all in my head". I "look" fine most of the time, I act fine most of the time. But I don't feel like myself. This is not who I am meant to be. I'm better than this. I'm shinier than this.

I was really confused about what was going on until recently. Symptoms of Candida overgrowth can be varied and inconsistent. I have had vastly differing symptoms over the year including a severe flare up of my IBS, and LOTs of other mental and physical manifestations. Lots of weird stuff going on.

This summer is the first time I think I started to actually feel defeated. I've been living "clean" for 3 years now. I could be the poster child for healthy living. I have structured my whole life around reducing stress (barring having three kids), eating well, sleeping and exercising. On paper, I've got this. In reality, its not working. Its incredibly frustrating. I don't know what else to "give up" and how much more money to spend on doctors and supplements.

In my frustration and tears, I finally told my new chiropractor about this situation last week. I don't always share my Candida issue with people I don't know well but with my chiropractic thermo scan results also showing something extremely odd going on in my body (a whole other story) I thought it was time to fess up.

She actually knew about Candida and was very open/understanding. Thank-you for not shaming me. I get enough of that from doctors. But she said "well, how did you get rid of it before?". I didn't really have an answer for her. Upon reflection, I never did get rid of it. It got better at times, but I didn't get rid of it.

And one of my newer symptoms (although its been brewing for a few years) is severe mood swings. That's the part I can't handle. That I refuse to live with. I don't like that version of me.

So Candida killed my summer. A summer that had all the ingredients for perfection. It wasn't horrible by any means. I enjoyed many moments. But it wasn't what it should have been. I wasn't who I should have been.

So now I must kill it! I may have felt defeated at times. But I have another character trait - steadfast determination - so I'm not giving up. Stay tuned. She isn't going to go down without a fight.

by admin @ ARPA Journal

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